A total of 719 NEET-qualified candidates were on Thursday given orders of MBBS and BDS seat allotment under the 7.5% preferential quota for government school students. As many as 1,398 candidates were called for counselling during the day.
The Directorate of Medical Education commenced counselling for the academic year 2023-24 with seat allocation for the special reservation categories. All the 622 seats , including 486 in MBBS and 132 in BDS, were filled. Health Minister Ma. Subramanian distributed the allotment orders at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital at Guindy, Chennai.
Many candidates who participated in the counselling were NEET repeaters. Kruthiga C.K., with a score of 569, admitted that she had ignored Class XI subjects and ended up having to repeat NEET.
She has chosen Madras Medical College (MMC) and plans to specialise in paediatrics.
Pachiyappan Saravanan scored 162 marks in NEET last year and was allotted a BDS seat. He decided to reappear this year. With a score of 565, he will join MMC. His father works as a casual labourer laying roads.
Archana Rajkumar is a first-generation learner who has chosen Salem Medical College. Her father is a casual labourer at Seshanchavdi near Vazhapadi in Salem district.
In the special category counselling for the 25 eligible sportspersons, eight were allotted seats. Eleven wards of ex-servicemen, from among the 25 candidates called for counselling, got seats. As many as 78 of 80 persons with disabilities were allotted seats, the Minister said.
Mr. Subramanian also released the merit list for 19 allied health science courses.
Of the 2,993 applications received in the special category, 901 were from male candidates and 2,092 were from female candidates. In the sports category, 179 applications were received and 114 applicants were eligible. Of the 401 applications received in the ex-servicemen category, 328 candidates were eligible. Of the 98 applicants with disabilities, the applications of 80 were found eligible.
